Trek for Two
by highland laurel
Summary: Daniel and Mingo are taken aboard the Starship Enterprize as it makes a scheduled stop at the "Amusement Planet". A crossover story.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"The stars are sure bright tonight. Seems like I never get tired of lookin' at 'em." Daniel Boone leaned against a log as his camping companion finished cleaning up from their evening meal. His long legs were stretched straight out to warm his feet from the dying campfire. Hands behind his head, his handsome face relaxed, he continued to gaze at the starry sky.

"Canis Major is particularly bright. How many poets have gazed as we now gaze at the same glowing heavenly bodies? It does inspire one to lofty thoughts." The Cherokee tended to wax poetic whenever the occasion arose.

The two men were comfortable together. They had camped in the Kentucky wilderness many, many times and were familiar with each other's habits and quirks. They were near enough to Boonesborough that the next day's journey would have them there. Mingo sighed and rolled himself in his blanket, nestling down beside the log to sleep through the hours of darkness. Beside him Daniel prepared to do the same.

He was just scooting down to lie full length upon the soft Kentucky soil when he noticed a particularly bright star. Surprisingly it seemed to be descending. It appeared to be headed for a spot in the timber about a quarter of a mile away. Exclaiming in alarm he jumped to his feet and pointed. Beside him his Cherokee friend likewise rose and stood watching the heavenly body's descent into the Kentucky forest. The two men stared at each other, then grasped their guns and trotted to investigate.

"Mr. Sulu! Are you sure this is the Amusement Planet? This system doesn't even resemble the Omicron Delta region of space, and the elapsed time since our destination was decided is not long enough, according to the brochure."

Commander Sulu nodded his head, raised his eyebrows and smiled crookedly. Beside him Pavel Chekov giggled. The sound caused First Officer Spock to straighten from his console and stare at them. In the command chair Captain Kirk was also staring at his navigator and pilot.

The First Officer approached his captain and quietly leaned over. "The readings indicate a heavily forested area approximately endless."

"Endless? How can it be endless? Approximately?"

"To be completely correct, sir, I should have said that the forest seems to extend beyond the range of my sensors."

Captain Kirk started and looked into his First Officer's dark brown eyes. He had known the Vulcan to be imprecise only when he was undergoing some unusual stress, usually biological. "Oh, great, just great," the captain thought to himself. "What a time for Spock to go hormonal on me."

Kirk swiveled in his chair and rose to stand beside the navigation console. Sulu and Chekov were making hand puppet gestures to each other and giggling like two teen-aged girls. Frowning, Kirk beckoned Dr. McCoy to his side. The thin doctor approached, his face screwed into an expression of annoyance.

"Bones, does anything seem amiss? From a psychological standpoint I mean."

"Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a psychiatrist!"

Kirk bowed his head and sighed. First Officer Spock stepped behind the doctor and placed two long fingers behind the doctor's head. The bunny ears gave the doctor an waggish expression and Lieutenent Uhura burst into laughter and collapsed onto her console. She accidentally disrupted the electrical connections to the bridge and the lights blinked out. The red emergency lights came on.

Sulu and Chekov continued to make hand puppets, using the indelible markers usually used by the beautiful scantily clad ensigns that needed signatures from the captain at odd moments throughout the day. And to add even more dash, the red alert siren began to blare. The communication whistle sounded and a thick Scots burr sounded from the console.

"Captain, the Enterprise is too close to the surface! What are you doin' up there? And while I've got you on the intercom, all the Romulan ale is missin' from the commissary. Just thought you'd like to know. Scott out. Oh, wait. My bairns want to know why we did the sling-shot manuever around the sun? Where are we goin' to be goin' this time?"

"What did you say, Mr. Scott? We did the sling-shot manuever? Where are we?"

"That's what m' lads are askin' YOU, Captain. Where are we?"

Captain Kirk turned quickly to his first officer, who was now engaged in creating his own hand puppet that looked remarkably like his Ambassador father, Sarek. Sulu and Chekov had collapsed breathlessly onto the floor and were sitting underneath their console, still giggling. It was then that the captain noticed the tell-tale blue stain around their mouths. And it wasn't Kool-Aid.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mingo and Daniel skidded to a stop and stared. They turned to each other with looks of complete puzzlement. Hovering several feet above the treetops was a large, an extremely large, vehicle of unknown origin. Even in all his travels Mingo had never heard of anything like the vessel soundlessly stationed above them. To Daniel it resembled Ezekiel's wheel from the old testament. The two brave and adventurous men stood side by side and discussed the possibilities, though they held their guns nervously pointed in the direction of the silvery object.

As they talked an unusual sound distracted them and they looked up at the object. There was a high-pitched hum and then a strange sensation sped through their bodies. "This tickles like bubbles in champagne," the tall Indian thought as he remembered his privileged life in England. And then he thought no more until he rematerialized on the transporter pad beside Daniel. A red-shirted man with a thick Scots accent motioned for them to step down onto the floor beside him. Their guns readied in their hands, the two Kentucky men glanced at each other and complied.

The mechanical doors whooshed open and a muscular man with honey-color hair entered the small room. Behind him came the thin doctor, medikit in hand. "Mr. Scott! Just who did you transport? And why?"

The stoic Scot answered his captain, his voice indicating his aggravation. "These two. They were standin' down there, watchin' us. What did you expect me t' do, send 'em a blueprint?"

Daniel, ever the diplomat, extended his large hand to the man who seemed to be in charge. "Daniel Boone is my name. Of Kentucky. I'm glad to make your acquaintance. This is my friend Mingo. He's an Oxford educated Cherokee with an English father. Just in case you might want to know." Mingo smiled his friendliest smile and also extended his hand, expressing his pleasure in a deep velvety voice.

Captain Kirk shook both hands, then motioned for the two men to accompany him through the doors. With a quick look at each other the two tall men followed. The doctor sat down on the turbolift steps, mumbling to himself as they exited the room. Behind them they could hear the Scottish engineer cursing under his breath in Gaelic. Mingo's eyebrows rose as he understood some of the words. Several of his classmates at Oxford had been Scots, and they delighted in making their English cousins blush. Being of English blood, Mingo blushed. Beside him the captain looked at him questioningly. The tall dark man shook his head and pretended to fan himself.

"Just hot. Please excuse me."

Captain Kirk looked at the sleeveless vest and plunging neckline and wondered to himself how this man could possibly be hot. In the corridor several of the women crew gazed at the tall handsome man and also fanned themselves. " Wonder if everyone is hot. Sure hope they're not coming down with one of those weird space diseases! I'd better get McCoy on it ASAP," Kirk thought to himself. Behind him he heard the little redheaded geologist giggle to the other women, "Gosh, he's hot!" Kirk sighed heavily and urgently beeped the doctor.

"McCoy here. What is it?"

Kirk spoke softly in his communicator, hiding it in his hand so his visitors wouldn't see the device. Mingo and Daniel looked at each other as the capain seemed to be carrying on a conversation with his hand. "We've got another problem, Doctor. One of the visitors is hot, and so are all the women that he just passed. Must be another one of those weird space diseases. We'd better get a team on it right away!"

Kirk heard the doctor mumble under his breath. "What did you say, doctor?"

"I said that you are an idiot! He's hot! Look at him, Jim. Tall. Long muscular arms. Deep hairy chest. Long black hair. Big dark eyes. Voice that'd melt titanium. Smile that'd drop a charging Gorn. Think like a woman, captain!"

"McCoy, that's enough. If I want to think like a woman I'll go through that exchange thing again. Kirk out!"

Daniel and Mingo had stopped walking and were whispering together. Their eyes were fixed on the phasers placed in the corridor in case of emergency. " Great, just great," thought the captain. " I've got to get these two safely locked in a room someplace soon before they do some damage." He stepped in front of an empty crew cabin and motioned for Daniel and Mingo to enter. When they did, he quickly locked the door from the outside. He could hear the two tall men banging on the door but he turned and quickly ran to the turbolift and returned to the bridge. The starship Enterprise continued to hover over the Kentucky woods of 1778.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Back on the bridge Captain Kirk was relieved to see Sulu and Chekov back in their respective chairs. Uhura had punched the buttons necessary to return the bridge's normal lighting and the alert siren had been turned off. First Officer Spock vacated the captain's chair as Kirk approached.

"Continuing to hover over the endless expanse of woodlands, Captain. I believe that we are over the North American continent, somewhere called Kentucky, circa the 1770's."

"I already know that Spock. I've got Daniel Boone and his Indian friend locked in a room on C deck. What I need to know is, what do I do now?"

"Simply erase their memories, sir. We've done it before. Then set them back down where they came from."

Commander Uhura turned from her console. "Captain? The Amusement Planet really isn't that far away. Less than a parsec. Why don't we take them with us? They could have fun, and then we could erase it all afterwards."

Captain Kirk looked at his beautiful African communications officer in surprise.

"The crew needs to relax, sir, and you promised." There was the shadow of a pout on her lovely lips.

"We could return them BEFORE we leave, Uhura."

"What fun would that be, captain? They won't remember anything. What harm can it do?"

The captain mused her idea over in his fecund brain. He smiled mischieviously and nodded.

Locked in the dimly lighted room, Mingo and Daniel searched for a way out. The room itself did not seem to be made of any building material familiar to them. There were no corners or windows. Everything seemed slick and sterile. Mingo yawned and sat down on what seemed to be a bed. It was remarkably comfortable as it molded itself to his backside. He stretched out full length and sighed. Daniel continued to pace nervously.

"Daniel, it is late. We were just about to retire, remember? Why don't you lie down on that bed over there. It is very comfortable." Mingo's voice trailed off as he closed his eyes. Seconds later Daniel could hear his deep breathing, indicating that he was sound asleep.

Daniel paced for another several minutes, then he too stretched out on the bed and fell deeply asleep.

When Daniel awoke hours later he sat straight up and shouted to his companion. Mingo bolted out of a deep slumber to find himself in the same dimly lighted room where he had fallen asleep. Daniel disappeared into a small space. There was the sound of rushing water. Then he emerged, grinning.

"You're not goin' to believe this, Mingo. Come and see the privy!"

Mingo investigated all the faucets in the privy. He splashed warm water on his face and dried it with the clean white towel beside the basin. As he bent over the basin to look closely at a small spigot a fragrant liquid squirted from the wall into his thick black hair. It smelled pleasant. As he walked into the larger room Daniel sniffed the air.

"Is that you I smell?" When Mingo smiled and nodded, Daniel shook his head in disbelief. "You smell like the woods after a summer rain. How'd you do that?"

Mingo explained about the wall spray and Daniel soon emerged also smelling like a summer rain. The two men stood congratulating each other on their wonderful smell when the door to their room whooshed open. Captain Kirk walked into the room wearing a devilish smile. The two Kentuckians turned to each other with wary looks on their faces.

"We are approaching what we like to call the 'amusement planet'. You two are our guests. I must explain about this planet or you two could find yourselves in dire circumstances. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you while you're there." He chortled and the two Kentuckians looked at each other suspiciously. "Be careful what you wish for... you will get it." Captain Kirk chuckled again as he remembered some of the experiences reported by his crew. Then he spent several minutes explaining the entire procedure for enjoying the planet's various offerings.

When he finished Mingo and Daniel turned to each other and exchanged disbelieving looks. Captain Kirk saw the exchange and assured them that he was telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Being adventurous by nature, the two Kentuckians decided to try the captain's 'amusement planet'. Captain Kirk escorted them to the transporter room and Mr. Scott took care of the particulars. When the two men rematerialized they were standing on a lush green plain. In the distance was a small copse of trees. A beautiful blue lake sparkled nearby. Raising his black eyebrows, Mingo saluted Daniel and walked toward the trees. He was smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Daniel watched Mingo disappear into the small wooded area. He stood sniffing the fragrant air. Being a brave man, he tried to think of something that he'd like to do and hadn't ever had the opportunity. As he thought, he remembered the first time he and Yadkin traveled through the Cumberland Gap and saw Kentucky. That was what he'd like to do. Be the first man to make a footprint somewhere. Suddenly the air seemed to whirl around him. He lost consciousness for several seconds and when he awoke Yad's voice was calling to him.

"Dan'l! Wake up! I cain't run this here module all by my lonesome. Grab the joystick and set 'er down careful like."

It was Yad's voice alright, but Daniel couldn't recognize him because he seemed to be encased in a shiny suit of some kind with a very large bubble completely enclosing his head. Sitting upright Daniel discovered that he too was encased in the same kind of suit with the same kind of bubble over his own head. He turned to look out of a small window and saw a grey rocky surface looming beneath him. Yad was grasping a stick of some kind in his gloved hand. Looking down Dan discovered that he was grasping one just like it. The vehicle floated gently down until he felt the bump as it hit the ground.

Yad pushed a button and a door slid open. "Go on, Dan'l. You first."

As Daniel stepped carefully down the ladder he began to speak. "That's one giant step for a man...one giant leap for mankind." His large foot sank into a powdery dust. He walked several yards. It felt like he was walking through water. Yadkin came down the ladder behind him and leaped into the air, floating several feet before touching down again. He yelped with joy and did it again. Daniel mimiced his actions and floated several yards.

"You always was a show off, Dan'l Boone!"

Together Yad and Daniel leaped and cartwheeled through the moon's low gravity, spinning and diving as the blue Earth cast it's beautiful glow upon the barren landscape.

Daniel woke up leaning against a weeping willow tree. He got to his feet, stretched and began to look for Mingo. He hadn't gone far when he discovered his friend sprawled face down in tall grass near the beautiful blue pond. The dappled shade couldn't hide the fact that the tall Cherokee was completely unclothed. Beside him in the grass lay a lovely black-haired beauty. They were both asleep, their heads pillowed on their arms. Daniel stepped on a small stick lying in the grass and Mingo opened one dark eye.

"Daniel. Did you enjoy your adventure?"

"I did. And what adventure are you havin' here, my friend?" Daniel glanced again at the Indian maid sleeping in the grass.

"I was always facinated by the story of Adam and Eve. What was it like, being the first and only? The Garden of Eden was described as being beautiful. I wanted to see it myself. So, I am Adam. And this," he gestured at the girl beside him, "is Eve. We've named everything we've seen and had a wonderful time doing it. Do you know, Daniel, there is a freedom that comes without clothes?" The Cherokee smiled provocatively at his tall friend and raised his black eyebrows. Daniel blushed.

"What about the snake?"

"I haven't seen a reptile all day, Daniel. I assume that he will make his presence known soon, but in the meantime, if you will excuse me, I have a nap to finish." Mingo smiled sleepily and laid his head back on his smooth brown arms. "Please let me know if you see a snake."

In the orbiting Enterprise the crew watched the proceedings on the viewscreen. Several bets were made concerning the appearance of the snake. There were bets on what kind it would be, and how large. There were even odds on whether the reptile would or would not speak. Spock amused himself measuring the number of heartbeats the Cherokee was producing in relation to the number of heartbeats of his companion. Dr. McCoy was taking notes for a paper he was going to write on voyeurism among starship crews that had consumed large quantities of Romulan ale. Sulu and Chekov had advanced to making paper airplanes. And Captain Kirk tapped his fingers on the console and wondered if all men in the eighteenth century were as dull as the two he'd found.

Daniel wandered aimlessly after he left Mingo sleeping beside his Eve. His eyes were drawn to a stand of tall cattails. They waved gently in the breeze, like banners. The thought brought a memory of tales he had heard as a youngster. Knights of the Round Table, they were called. Suddenly Daniel found himself astride a large horse. He was totally encased in heavy, hot armor and in his hand was a long pole used for jousting. From this pole hung a sheer pink scarf.

He looked several feet down the course and saw another knight facing him, his jousting pole pointed in Daniel's direction. Under the pavilion he could see Rebecca waving at him, a sheer pink scarf in her hand. A man wearing a crown dropped a white handkerchief and the opposing knight kicked his horse. The animal sprang forward and the man anchored his jousting pole against his side with his elbow. Daniel did the same and kicked his horse.

The two men rode toward each other. The shock of their meeting splintered both poles. The two men rode to the end of their respective courses and their pages handed them another pole. They repeated the procedure three times until Daniel was able to knock his opponent off of his horse. The watching men and women applauded. Raising his visor, Daniel blew a kiss to Rebecca. She waved her pink scarf at him and blew a kiss back. He slid off of his sweaty horse and clanked his way to the pavilion. Rebecca met him and reached to put her arms around his neck. He tried to embrace her but his heavy metal-encased arms wouldn't bend that far. As she pulled his head down to kiss him the visor shut, striking her on top of the head and knocking her out. Not able to bend, Daniel stood over his prostrate wife and fanned her with her pink scarf.

Uhura sighed. It was all so lovely, the pink scarf waving in the warm breeze. Of course, the tall redhaired woman lying in the dirt wasn't so lovely, but the flowing dresses and handsome men were so romantic. Captain Kirk would be a wonderful knight. He sat there in his chair, pretending to be bored. If she could arrange it her time on the planet would correspond with his. Maybe they could enjoy a fantasy together. The idea blossomed in her pretty head and she began to hum to herself. Dr. McCoy flipped the page on his 20th century legal pad and continued to take notes. Sulu and Chekov made little paper men to fly in their paper airplanes and Mr. Spock was now calculating the temperature inside the metal suit Daniel Boone was wearing. Mr. Scott paged the captain to ask how much longer the crew was going to have to wait while the 18th century citizens completed their fantasies.

"One more fantasy, Mr. Scott. The Indian gets another one. He and Eve are waking up now. It shouldn't be too long. You can beam Mr. Boone up now. Mr. Spock indicates that he's about to faint from the heat."

On the viewscreen the jousting tournament dissolved as Mr. Boone demateralized and disappeared.

Mingo awakened beside Eve. His began to recite poetry to her, then Shakespeare, and for no reason at all into his memory came the impassioned "give me liberty or give me death" speech of Patrick Henry. Instantly he found himself seated in the sweltering heat of Independence Hall. Dressed in a deep brick red coat with black trousers, white ruffled shirt and black waistcoat he sat sweating with the other delegates to the Continental Congress. Beside him John Adams argued with Benjamin Franklin concerning how the viscosity of pigeon droppings affects the velocity. The delegates from Rhode Island and the delegates from New York were making hand puppet gestures at each other. Thomas Jefferson sat with a disgusted look on his face, softly rhyming to himself: able, cable, Mable, table...gable...fable... Impassioned words flowed around him and the energy inspired Mingo to rise and speak.

The other delegates quieted as his deep voice resonated inside the beautiful room. The flies buzzing at the closed windows stopped buzzing. Drawing from the ideas of Cicero Mingo delivered an inspired speech concerning the rights of citizens in a free society, gesturing with his slender hands as he spoke. The roasted nut vendor stopped hawking his wares. Even the delegates from Rhode Island and New York stopped their gesturing to listen. When he finished speaking, applause echoed off of the chamber's plastered walls. John Adams and Ben Franklin turned to each other and nodded. He bowed gracefully from the waist as Thomas Jefferson shook his hand. Beaming with satisfaction, the tall Cherokee felt the bubbling sensation again and the next thing he knew he was standing inside the transporter room. Daniel strode to his side to welcome him back. Engineer Scott spoke into the intercom and reported both of their guests safely returned.

In a few minutes Daniel and Mingo found themselves locked inside their room once again. This time when they investigated the 'water room privy' they discovered that water would spray from the wall, creating a shower effect that promised a welcome cleansing. They amused themselves for the better part of an hour experimenting with the shower device. Then a very pretty ensign brought them what the computer assured Captain Kirk was a normal 18th century meal. For each man there were twelve kernals of sweet corn, seven chicken legs and one thigh, half a buttered biscuit, and one green bean. A mug of Romulan ale served as a beverage. Both men ate the entire offering hungrily, then lay down on their respective bunks and fell asleep. The Romulan ale didn't affect them at all.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It took several days for the more than four hundred crewmembers to complete their turns on the pleasure planet. To pass the time Mingo learned how to play three-dimensional chess from Spock and Daniel amused himself in the Enterprise's gyms and shooting galleries. Occasionally the two men would wander the halls of the enormous space ship, always in the company of a red-shirted guard or two. They spent the most time looking out the viewing portals at the vast expanse of space surrounding the starship. Mingo always quoted remembered verses concerning stars, and Daniel contributed 'Twinkle, twinkle little star...' The entire concept of space travel relative to time was lost on the two men and Daniel was concerned that Rebecca was becoming worried about his long absence. Mingo pondered the concept and came to a surprisingly accurate conclusion. Assuring Daniel that the time passing on Earth was not the same as the time passing on the spaceship, Mingo promised that Rebecca was not suffering any anxiety. And if she was, she'd get over it.

After more than a week's absence from their campsite Daniel and Mingo were finally being taken back. Daniel spent the last few hours looking out of the ship's portals as the stars streaked past the flying starship. Mingo played Spock one last game of chess. The two men were remarkably alike except for the almost eerie effect that the tall Kentucky Cherokee had on the female members of the crew. Spock could not remember the game room being so packed with female personnel. There was no qualifying the women by age, height, or coloring. Every group was represented. Scientists to the secretarial pool, they all sat or stood with their eyes glued to the Indian. Spock pondered the reason. Perhaps it was the skin color. He remembered the effect that Khan had on females when he was a 'guest' on the Enterprise.

He was so engrossed in finding the answer to his question that he missed a simple move and Mingo was nearing his goal of checkmate. Aggravated at himself, Spock shook his head and breathed deeply. The forest scent emanating from the Cherokee's long black hair was a distraction. As Mingo raised his handsome head and smiled into Spock's dark eyes the heavy black locks beside his face waved at the movement. The scent wafted several feet and was inhaled by the bevy of Starfleet personnel. There was a collective sigh which the Vulcan found even more disturbing. In the corner sat the tall blonde nurse Christine Chapel. Long she had adored Spock from a distance. Now her sparkling blue eyes were riveted on the tall man opposite her former idol. A thin ribbon of drool escaped unnoticed and dripped off her chin.

Mingo steepled his long fingers in Spock's familiar gesture. The gathered women sighed again. The doors to the room sprang open and Dr. McCoy pushed his way into the room. Looking around at all the women personnel crowded into the room, he pulled a small medical device out of his pocket and started scanning. His data would prove valuable for the paper that he was planning to write on the effects of handsome, unattainable men on female Starfleet personnel. His little machine whirred rapidly as the women all sighed at sight of Mingo's muscled arm flexing as he moved his knight.

"I believe that is checkmate, Mr. Spock." Mingo's dark brown eyes sparkled and three of the nearby women gasped for air and pushed their way to the room's mechanical doors. Spock nodded his dark head and raised his eyebrow. Across the table from him Mingo's eyebrows approached the dark fringe across his forehead. His smile caused a dozen nearby ladies to sink to the floor and put their heads against their knees. McCoy's device beeped madly. Spock extended his long fingered hand to his opponent and the two men shook hands.

The mechanical doors flew open again and Daniel entered the room with Captain Kirk. The two men pushed their way to Mingo's side. Daniel addressed his beaming friend. "It's nearly time to go, Mingo. We have to go get our things from the room and get to the transporter. We're home!"

Mingo and Daniel turned to the doors. The women parted like the Red Sea and their sighs were a reasonable facsimilie of ocean waves. Behind them Captain Kirk frowned in annoyance. He would be very glad to be rid of the two 18th century men. They had been no trouble, and in fact had been extremely cooperative. But the disruption that the dark one caused the crew was aggravating. And neither one had been very entertaining.

The two men quickly gathered their guns, shot pouches and powder horns. Mingo stepped inside the bathroom for one last spritz of the forest scented water. Then they accompanied their host to the transporter room. Mr. Scott waited impatiently for them to step onto the pads. Captain Kirk motioned to Mr. Spock. The tall Vulcan stepped to Daniel and reached to place his long fingers in the Vulcan mind meld. Daniel's expression went blank. Beside him, Mingo's look of concern vanished as the Vulcan removed his recent memory. Then, eyes blank and expressionless, the two tall Kentuckians dematerialized and were gone.

The morning light woke Mingo first. He stretched his long body and sat up. Birds were singing their morning songs and the air was heavy with dew. Stirring the ashes, he placed several sticks to start the breakfast fire. Behind him Daniel yawned and sat up. Mingo moved the cold coffee pot onto the blaze and their morning began.

They were on the rise above Daniel's cabin by afternoon. The hours ran by swiftly as the entire Boone family welcomed the travelers. Rebecca's pretty nose had twitched when she caught the alluring fragrance emanating from Mingo's long black hair. But she had only shaken her head in puzzlement and poured another cup of tea for her husband and his friend. When the stars came out in the dark Kentucky night Daniel and Mingo stepped onto the porch to share a last few words before sleep.

Looking up into the night sky, Mingo steepled his fingers in a gesture unfamiliar to Daniel. A memory began to try and form inside his mind. He struggled to remember, then gave up as the image refused to materialize. Beside him, Mingo pointed to the flash of light produced by a falling star. His dark eyebrows raised toward the black fringe that fell on his forehead. He turned to Daniel with one word: "Fascinating."

But the stars were nothing but stars, and the two frontiersmen nodded their goodnights and prepared to sleep the sleep of simple men.


End file.
